Company news: Inventiv Health, Elsevier

InVentiv Health is acquiring outsourcing specialists Kforce Clinical Research with a $50 million cash payment. The company will fold KCR's operations into its clinical division and said it expects the new business will bring in around $70 million annually. The agency network has also landed the FTC's approval to purchase the promotional and auditing business, SDI Health from IMS Health, and expects the deal to close this week. SDI Health will become part of inVentiv's Campbell Alliance.

Elsevier is relaunching the official journal of the Czech Society of Cardiology, Cor et Vasa. The English version will be available online through SciVerse ScienceDirect and the printed version will be translated from English to Czech. Cor et Vasa is published six times a year.

Analysts continue to chat up weight-loss season in advance of an FDA advisory panel's May 10 review of the weight-loss drug lorcaserin. It will be a second go-round for the Arena pharmaceuticals drug, and MarketWatch reports analysts are split about its possible triumph. A “yea” vote would put it in the running with Qnexa, which got a second wind when the FDA panel voted in favor of the slimming Vivus drug last month.